Conspiracy of Silence as Female Teacher in Golden Olive School is Arrested for Alleged Rape of 4 Year Old Pupil

By: Hamza Suleiman 

The Borno State Police Command said a female teacher simply identified as Aunty Zara from Golden Olive School, Maiduguri, has been arrested for alleged sexual violation of a four-year-old pupil.

The Spokesman of the Command, ASP Sani Kamilu confirmed the arrest on Saturday, 26 November 2022 in Maiduguri, said the suspect, a teacher in the private school in Maiduguri, had been apprehended since  last week, adding the Command had commenced full investigation into the case.

The victim’s father, Hassan Dala, who reported the case to the Police, said he noticed the victim’s urine was reddish in colour.

“Initially, I presumed it to be a symptom of infection. I took her to the hospital, and they told us what the problem is.

“When the mother asked her, the victim told us what the teacher did to her.The victim said that the teacher cuddled, gave her breasts to suck and inserted a finger in her private part”,  he said.

The distraught father is worried not just about the physical and psychological harm done to the toddler by the teacher, he is also afraid that his child may have been initiated into lesbian or any other kind of satanic cults by the lady.

It is however curious that 

one whole week after the arrest of the suspect, Anty Zara, there has not been any reaction from gender  activists, Ministry of Education, NAPTIP,  National Human Right Commision or even the Network of Civil Society Organisations. None of these agencies or group had shown any interest in the plight of the helpless victim and her family. It appears that there is a conspiracy of silence by those who are supposed to spearhead the cause of justice in the little girl’s case.

Even the school authorities were quick to deny the case in the media, declaring that it was false claim even in the face of glaring evidence of violation of the kid and arrest of the suspect by the police. 

As usual, the school was more interested in trying to protect their image. It is also noted that most of those who refused to speak out against the heinous crime have their children attending the same school. 

The rather insensitive response of the school authority

to the alleged crime against a pupil kept in their custody for learning and nurturing, is most unfortunate and condemnable. It is clearly a breach of trust and dereliction of duty on the part of the school.

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It is most disheartening that the innocent girl has become a victim of negative evaluations even from the authorities who should have ordinarily stand to defend her. 

The action of the school authority in denying her in her moment of vulnerability when they ought to stand by her, is indeed a perfect reflection of the moral turpitude in the society today.

It is rather shameful that an institution of learning has been turned into a theatre of immorality where such depraved sexual behavior is practiced on helpless and hapless kids.

As it is now, the violated little girl and her poor family have been left alone to ‘fight their battle’ as no one or group had shown interest in speaking up for them in their fight for justice.

This case is just one among the numerous cases of sexual violence being recorded in Borno state. 

From investigation, Borno records numerous cases of rape almost on daily basis but most of the cases do not see the light of the day. This is mostly because rape victims and survivors speak out about their experiences are often subjected to negative reactions from friends and family, thereby reinforcing that  feelings of self-blame and shame that often lead survivors to question whether disclosures were sensible thing to do.

How then can we expect women to break the silence about the very experience  when the negative reactions  such as being blamed, being denied help or being told to stop talking about the assault is what they always get. 

This has further amplified the brutal physical and psychological consequences for rape survivors as they are subjected to further trauma at the hands of the very people they turn to for help. 

It is hoped that this particular case would be handled differently if only to send out the message that in Borno State, little kids are safe in their schools and in the hands of their teachers.

Conspiracy of Silence as Female Teacher in Golden Olive School is Arrested for Alleged Rape of 4 Year Old Pupil